Comedian Gearóid Farrelly and his professional dance partner Stephen Vincent will perform a Contemporary Ballroom routine to Niamh Kavanagh's 1993 Eurovision-winning song 'In Your Eyes' during Eurovision Week on Dancing with the Stars.
It's Eurovision Week on Dancing with the Stars, and comedian Gearóid Farrelly and his professional dancer partner Stephen Vincent will tackle a Contemporary Ballroom performance to Niamh Kavanagh ’s 1993 winning Irish entry In Your Eyes . While the iconic song might be part of Irish Eurovision history, it's also part of Gearóid's personal history, as he and Niamh are close friends. The duo co-host the Agony Rants podcast together.
Speaking about how they met, the comedian said that he simply knocked on her door one day, after finding out that the Eurovision winner was a neighbour. 'All I can say is that back in the day celebrities didn't have to protect themselves!' he said. 'Niamh won the Eurovision and I was a young little gay man, and found out that the Eurovision winner lived around the corner from me. So I was like, well, obviously, we need to be friends!' 'I just knocked on her door and said hi. We just had this very odd friendship. I was a fan and she was the Eurovision winner. She then moved up north when she met her husband, and we stayed in touch by email.' After his comedy career began to take off, they would meet up when they happened to be in one another's localities, leading to their friendship which has spanned 20 years. The friendship - and a revelatory moment during the Covid-19 pandemic - then became the catalyst for their podcast. He said: 'During the pandemic, we had this 'come to Jesus' moment where we were sitting at either end of a bench in Sandymount, miserable with our lives, and then just thought, 'the absolute cheek of us.'' 'We both, at that point, had been making a living doing the thing we love. There are people in much worse situations than us, so that's how Agony Rants was born.' 'We decided that we wanted to do a show that people could listen to on their Monday morning commute, that would just make them feel better. That was all we wanted to do, and we thought it would last ten weeks, but three years later, it's still going.' Their friendship has meant that sometimes Gearóid forgets just how talented his pal Niamh is. 'I forget how incredible she is. I forget how great the song is. I forget what a great singer she is. Because normally when I see her we're, you know, having a cup of coffee and a brownie and b*tching about people!' While they have both a professional and personal friendship, Gearóid says she has been a huge support for him throughout the last two decades. 'The great thing about Niamh, if you're Niamh's friend, she is your ride or die. She would do anything for anyone,' he said sharing that she is very generous with her time when it comes to friends, but also when it comes to those who are fans of her Eurovision moment. 'Niamh is very aware of the legacy of Eurovision and the legacy of In Your Eyes, and takes that very, very seriously. Niamh just is a very generous, kind person and a real custodian of that time and that legacy. She's a great human being.' Despite this, having her in the audience is a bit of a nerve wracking experience for the comic. 'I always get nervous when Niamh comes to watch because Niamh has opinions. She came in the very first week and she was really excited. But I am very nervous that I'm going to be dancing to her song, because it's not just her song... It's one of those songs that everybody feels they own and I really don't want to screw up that legacy in any way.' Tune in to Dancing with the Stars – Eurovision Week this Sunday February 9th from 6:30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
Eurovision Dancing With The Stars Gearóid Farrelly Niamh Kavanagh In Your Eyes Irish Eurovision Comedy Podcast Agony Rants
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Gearóid Farrelly lifts lid on scientist boyfriend and says he's his biggest supporterThe comedian is thrilled with how well his partnership with Stephen Vincent on Dancing With The Stars has been received by the public and he is getting recognised more these days
Read more »
Gearóid Farrelly Stuns on Dancing with the StarsGearóid Farrelly, despite initial doubts, is making waves on the Dancing with the Stars leaderboard. While his family was initially hesitant about his participation, he's receiving overwhelming praise from fans, particularly for his impact on LGBTQ+ representation. His Viennese Waltz with Stephen Vincent promises to be another highlight.
Read more »
Gearóid Farrelly's Boyfriend a 'Brilliant' Support During Dancing With The StarsComedian Gearóid Farrelly is participating in Dancing With The Stars as part of a same-sex couple with Stephen Vincent. His boyfriend has been a supportive presence, driving him to rehearsals and helping him manage his demanding schedule. Farrelly shares that the reaction to his participation has been overwhelmingly positive, motivating him to represent LGBTQ+ individuals on mainstream television.
Read more »
Gearoid Farrelly's 20 year friendship with Niamh Kavanagh all started with a knock on the doorThe DWTS contestant is dancing to Niamh's winning song In Your Eyes on Eurovision Week, but the duo's friendship goes back twenty years, and all started with a simple neighbourly knock on the door
Read more »
Camogie Star Niamh Mallon: FRC Rule Changes Impacting Players Especially GoalkeepersNiamh Mallon, a camogie star and nutritionist for the Galway team, discusses the impact of the new rule changes in Gaelic football, particularly on goalkeepers. She highlights the increased demands on their physical performance and the need for adapted nutrition strategies.
Read more »
At Close Range: An Interview With Designer Niamh BarryArtist and light designer Niamh Barry talks candidly about herself, family, design, happiness and the future
Read more »